


Look at You, Strawberry Blonde

by belatedbday69



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Canon-Compliant, F/F, Gay, Lemon, Post-Time Skip, Wholesome, Yearning, fe3h - Freeform, just some lovey sexy time, mercannie, mercinette
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-20
Packaged: 2021-03-09 01:47:48
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,058
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27116329
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/belatedbday69/pseuds/belatedbday69
Summary: Mercedes tries to reconnect with Annie after five years, but her feelings have changed.
Relationships: Annette Fantine Dominic & Mercedes von Martritz, Annette Fantine Dominic/Mercedes von Martritz
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	Look at You, Strawberry Blonde

**Author's Note:**

> This was inspired by this tik tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@sibitg/video/6869894410243443974?sender_device=mobile&sender_web_id=6856967069682894341&is_from_webapp=1

It’s been a beautiful autumn day at Garreg Mach. As the sun dips below the spires that top the peaks of the church, the kitchen side door swings open to reveal Annette, holding a basket of freshly baked goods. She takes a deep breath, feeling the autumn breeze through her frizzy red hair, cool against the sweat that had accumulated along her hairline. The trees have started to turn brilliant shades of yellow and orange, and the seasonal flowers are already in bloom. This evening will be the Harvest Feast. She’d been tasked with making the raspberry tarts, and she managed to do it without making a single mess (besides the one on her apron, but that doesn’t count). In the end, she’d made way too many and so decided to bring some to the soldiers. 

Ever since the former-students’ timely reunion, their focus has been on developing a strategy to sway the tides of war in their favor. The future of Fódlan, and who will lead its people, seems to be ever-changing as the war rages on. Many lives had already been lost, with the promise of more to come. Annette has no doubt the others feel the weight just as heavily. It is all she can do to hope that they perhaps find even just a moment of peace tonight. 

She walks towards the church before spotting a burst of color out of the corner of her eye. A sweet olive tree had weaved itself through one of the archways, bending over the walkway. It’s bright orange blossoms are so inviting that Annette crosses the courtyard to them. She turns her head up, standing on her tiptoes to try to catch the scent. If she could just get a bit closer… 

“Annie? What are you doing?” 

“Oh!” She whirls around to see Mercedes standing nearby, her hands folded neatly in front of her hips, the golden light from the sunset illuminating her soft features. Annette’s breath catches in her throat. “Just - trying to smell the - uh -”

“Of course you are.” Mercedes smiles and walks over, reaching up to pull one of the branches down to Annette’s level. 

Annette looks up to her, her face flushed at the small act. She closes her eyes and turns her face to the flower once again, breathing in the sweetness it so readily offers. Mercedes giggles and Annette opens her eyes, shocked at how close she is to Mercedes now, their noses only a few inches apart. They look at each other for a moment before she takes a sharp breath in and steps away. She suddenly loses her balance and falls back onto the stone pavement, dropping the basket.

“Oh dear!” Mercedes tries to catch her, but it is too late. She extends her arms. “Are you okay?”

“Yes, just a little clumsy today, don’t worry about me!” Annette takes her hands as she stands again, lingering until Mercedes breaks away.

“And your basket!” She picks up the basket and lifts up the cloth that covers the baked goods. “Just a little jostled, but should be okay.” She gives it back to Annette. “Wouldn’t want any of your delicious jelly tarts to go to waste, now.” 

She laughs, trying to relieve the inexplicable tension that’s arisen between them. “Would you like one?” She asks, grabbing one from the basket. 

“Of course!” Annette watches as she bites into it and moans, savoring the perfectly toasted tart. “Delicious as always, Annie!” 

“Thank you, Mercie.” Annette grins, then her face falls. “Although I should… really get going. It’s nice to see you!” She turns to leave. 

“Wait, Annie!” Mercedes catches her forearm, gently stopping her. “Is everything okay?” She looks at her with concern on her brow, a look that Annette is not unfamiliar with. 

“Yeah! Of course! Why wouldn’t it be?” Annette tries to give a convincing smile.

“I just…” She looks away, her demeanor changing. “I hope you aren’t still mad about how I acted the other day when we ran into that awful man at the market. I never meant to make you feel bad, I know you were just -” 

“No, of course not, Mercie!” Annette takes a step toward her, wondering if she should reach out and touch her, but deciding against it. “I just… I don’t know…”

“Have you been avoiding me?” 

Annette’s head buzzes with adrenaline. What could she say? She has, of course, been avoiding her, but she’s not exactly sure what to say. The two had been best friends since growing up in Fherdiad together, had remained so when coming to the Monastery, and still as they returned five years later. They promised they would always stay friends no matter what happened, which should come as a comfort to Annette, but it only puts a pit in her stomach. 

Mercedes looks at her, desperate for some kind of explanation. Annette’s eyes start to well up and tears drop onto her cheeks. 

“Oh, Annie. Come. Let’s go somewhere else.” Annette wipes her tears with her sleeve, then nods and takes her hand. 

They walk in silence to Mercedes’ room. Annette stops in the doorway as Mercedes prepares a pot of tea. Although she hasn’t been in her room in a couple months, it looks the same as it always did. Comfortable yet modest. She remembers sitting on the bed with her and trading gossip about their peers when they were still in school. Mercedes never liked to speak negatively of others behind their back, but even so, she’d indulge Annette, just to spend time with her. Annette yearns for a time when she could be around her best friend without feeling slightly queasy. 

Like now, as she takes a steaming cup of sweet-apple blend tea and sits on a wooden chair next to Mercedes, she can feel her stomach turn. She nods appreciatively and takes a sip, relishing in the warmth that fills her chest. She can feel Mercedes’ gaze on her, her compassion radiating from her like warm blanket. 

“You know how much I care about you, don’t you?” Mercedes sets her cup down. 

She nods. “I know. It’s okay. I don’t know. I appreciate the tea…” She looks down at her half-empty teacup. 

“Annie!” She puts her hand on hers. “Please… talk to me. I despise this distance between us.” Annette builds up the nerve to look up at her and they lock eyes. “You’re my best friend.”

“Yes…” She looks down again, chewing on her lip, trying to find the right words to say. 

“What’s wrong?” 

“We… We promised we’d be best friends forever. And that nothing would change. And I’m afraid…”

“Nothing will change, Annie! Not between us.” She gives her a reassuring smile. 

“Right…” Annette turns her attention to Mercedes’ room again. “But what if… I don’t know. What if I wanted things to change?”

Mercedes leans back, clearly hurt. “Do you… not want to be friends anymore?”

“No! I do! I -” Annette sighs and gets up to slowly walk around the room. She pretends to be intrigued by Mercedes’ collection of books for a moment, then turns back to her. “It’s hard to explain. It kind of feels like…” Her words come very quickly. “Like, you know when you’re baking something you’ve made a hundred times before but it turns out especially good this time and even though, you know, you could bake more, you don’t want to, you just want to eat this one batch every day for the rest of your life? But is that possible?”

Mercedes looks at her, confused. “Um…” 

Annette shakes her head. “I’m sorry. I don’t know.” 

“Annie…” She gets up and comes over to her, putting a hand comfortingly on her back. “You know you can tell me anything.” 

Annette looks up at her, her best friend, her safety all these years. Despite the blood pounding in her ears, she whispers, “What if I…” She brings her hand up to Mercedes cheek, ever-so-slowly bringing her face closer to hers. Mercedes doesn’t move an inch, except her chest starts to rise and fall more rapidly. Their noses touch, and she can smell raspberry on her breath. Annette’s whole body feels electric, as if a single touch could set her alight. Could she possibly…? “Can I…?” 

There’s a small smile on Mercedes’ face as she leans forward, closing the gap between their lips. When they finally touch, it feels like Annette always imagined it would. Her kisses are tender and slow; her lips soft as rose petals. The world falls away, and all Annette can think of is how divine it feels to be so close. Their hands tentatively reach for the other’s, unsure of where they should go. 

After a while, they pause to catch their breath, leaving their foreheads leaning against the other. Mercedes grins. 

“What?” 

She shakes her head ever so slightly. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” She slides her arm along Annette’s waist and pulls her in closer. Annette’s stomach flips again, but now she relishes in it. 

Mercedes kisses her again, deeper this time as she holds Annette’s body against her own. Annette feels herself relax in her arms. They find their rhythm together, their hands testing out the different places they can explore. 

Eventually, Annette tugs on Mercedes’ dress and she quickly obliges, revealing her soft white underdress that leaves little to the imagination. Annette watches, her heading spinning at the sight. She takes her into arms immediately, kissing along Mercedes’ collarbone and up to her face. “You are… so gorgeous.” 

Mercedes bites her lip and reaches around to untie the apron from around Annette’s waist. It drops to the floor easily. Anticipating the feeling of their bare skin against each other, Annette continues to disrobe, lifting her dress over her head. They stand in front of each other, removing the rest of their undergarments until there is nothing else between them. There’s a small moment where they consider the other’s bare body, as they had seen each other prior, but this time it’s so very different.

Mercedes steps toward her, running her finger up Annette’s side, making her shiver. She pushes Annette’s hair behind her ear and gets in close to whisper, “All I want is you.” She kisses her ear, making her way along her neck and to her collar bone, where she bites every so slightly.

Annette can hardly contain herself. Moans escape her lips as Mercedes works her way down her body, placing kisses on every inch of her. Simply unable to stand anymore, Annette falls onto her bed, feeling as if sunshine could escape through her pores at any moment. Mercedes crawls into bed next to her and proceeds to run her fingers along her hips, which fills Annette to the brim with butterflies. 

“Can I… touch you?” 

“Oh, yes. Yes.” She blushes. 

Mercedes feels between her legs, the wet spot that Annette couldn’t hide if she wanted to. She uses her fingers to explore the area, quickly finding the spot at the top, which brings a low groan to Annette’s lips. 

“You’re so… beautiful,” Mercedes whispers, increasing her pace. After a minute, Annette’s legs start to shake and she’s panting, turning into Mercedes’ chest as she holds her. 

“Oh!” she’s finally tipped over the edge, her vision full of stars, her moans hopefully contained in the small room. She hangs onto Mercedes until the end. “Oh, wow.” She lays back to catch her breath before curling into Mercedes’ side. “How did you learn how to do that?” 

Mercedes laughs, stroking her hair. “Oh… nowhere in particular…” 

“You’ll have to teach me, anyway, so I can…”

There’s a knock at the door. “Dinner is ready!” The voice is unrecognizable, most likely from a guard sent to check in on them. 

“Has time really slipped away so quickly?” Mercedes doesn’t make any moves to get up. She kisses Annette on the forehead. “Though, I suppose we should…”

When they’ve donned their clothes once again and are about to leave, Annette hesitates. “I don’t want to go!”

Mercedes walks up to her and cradles her face in her palms. “This isn’t the end, Annie.” She places very small, quick kisses all over her face. Annette giggles, which makes her do the same, and they kiss each other between smiles. 


End file.
